Foren

There is a proposed rule to require electric cars to make a sound to alert bicyclists, pedestrians, and visually impaired people that the normally silent car is coming. I assume that this is programmable on the MS, so I put it to you: what sound would you like your car to make. Mine is the crackling sound that the Delorean made when it reached 88 mph.

sanctuary | 7. Januar 2013

How about "Dixieland", like in the Dukes of Hazzard?

Or maybe the sound that Mario makes when he has the hammer on the way up to meet Kong? DO-DO-DO-DOOT-DOOT-DOOT-DOOT-DOOT

aa012a | 7. Januar 2013

I vote for Silence. I drive a Prius and most of times when people get in front of it its not because they can't hear me, its because they are crossing the street or right of way in the parking lot while texting on their cellphones. :-)

On a different tack, if we put the car in neutral and pump the go pedal, will the sound get louder and softer? That is, will we have a way to "rev our engine"?

If so, and you hear a flock of geese, that's just @BrianH tapping his "goose pedal". ;P

Mark22 | 7. Januar 2013

The sound of the Enterprise going to warp speed:)

GoTeslaChicago | 7. Januar 2013

Whatever it is, I'm hoping for a distinctive Tesla sound, or one the we can customize like ringtones.

Liz G | 7. Januar 2013

William Tell Overture

olanmills | 7. Januar 2013

Haha I'm not sure every other car spouting the SpongeBob laughter, Jaws music, Donkey Kong doot-doot-doots, or animal noises is going to have the intended effect of making pedestrians more aware of what's going on. ;)

BYT | 7. Januar 2013

aa012a

+1 for the sounds of SILENCE

txjak | 7. Januar 2013

Maybe there will be a variety available. Like ringtones.

Sudre_ | 7. Januar 2013

This is a very pointless law. People know what engines sound like. They will have to standardize it for people to know what EVs sound like. People are getting hit because one or both is not paying attention. A random noise will not change that.

I can sprint at 15 to 18 MPH... at least when I was a kid. I didn't die when I ran into something.

There is only one thing that MIGHT help.... the sound I want my car to make if they make it a law.

Look at how many people a year get hit by trains, last I checked, those are pretty loud. It's the headphones and loud music and lack of paying attention that causes accidents. Darwin Awards??

nickjhowe | 7. Januar 2013

Definitely Star Trek 'going to warp' sound effect. Everyone who's ridden in my car so far has commented (un prompted) that the S acceleration is just like going to warp. The future is definitely here.

bbmertz | 7. Januar 2013

Rocky's eye-of-the-tiger music when in drive. Low-volume ICE engine sound when in reverse. Beep sound when doors lock.

stuberman | 7. Januar 2013

The opening to Act III of Wagner's Die Valkure, better known as Ride of the Valkyries!

kalel65 | 7. Januar 2013

The theme song from the TV show "The Flash". Star Trek good too

garyrudolph | 7. Januar 2013

"Ouch quit it, Ouch quit it..." from Homer Simpson

Alan S | 7. Januar 2013

+1 stuberman

took the words (thoughts) rate out of my mouth:)

Captain_Zap | 7. Januar 2013

No sound at all is preferred. Just imagine how sensitive our hearing could be if all cars were electric.

If we were forced to make noise then it seems as if the noise should be customizable or the noise it would be ignored just like every other car alarm or back-up beeper.

RobS | 7. Januar 2013

horses galloping

DouglasR | 7. Januar 2013

How about a really mean dog?

Superliner | 7. Januar 2013

None ... I'll toot the horn when needed. Part of my enjoyment in driving electric is the quiet.

JoeFee | 7. Januar 2013

that of a Sherman Tank :)

TikiMan | 7. Januar 2013

Growing up with movies and TV shows always representing distant-future vehicles as sounding like jet-engines, I think it would be really cool for it to have a low volume F-16 sound below 15 MPH. That way most will hear it, and think to themselves... "Wow, we have finally arrived!"

kalikgod | 7. Januar 2013

The sounds that Nissan added to the LEAF does no good at all. Pedestrians do not associate the sound with a vehicle and will still walk out in front of me if they are not paying attention.

Unfortunately the only way to add an effective sound, is to make it sound like an ICE, which really feels like going backwards.

mclary | 7. Januar 2013

I vote for no sound. There is enough noise in the world.

wthieldelgado | 7. Januar 2013

TIE Fighter is the correct answer.

lph | 7. Januar 2013

The 1812 overture ;-P

Joyrider | 7. Januar 2013

How about horseshoes on pavement. Pedestrian looks up expecting to see a horse and carriage and instead sees the ultimate horseless carriage.

Brian H | 7. Januar 2013

If it's on demand, a Dopplered sound of an approaching muscle car, faint, then rapidly rising volume and pitch. Accelerating to ensure contact!